ASTI and the IFPRI-facilitated ReSAKSS program co-organized a side event at this global conference that brought together representatives from regional and international agricultural research and donor organizations to discuss the book, which lays out a comprehensive perspective on the evolution, current status, and future goals of agricultural research in Africa south of the Sahara.

Two of the book editors— ASTI’s Nienke Beintema and John Lynam from the World Agroforestry Center—opened the event with a highlight of the book’s findings.

The book’s messages about agricultural research in the region are both concerning and hopeful. Total agricultural research spending has been increasing, along with the number of researchers, but spending growth is uneven, underinvestment remains widespread, and external funding is volatile. In addition, human resource capacities in many countries have been hampered by aging and high turnover among research staff.

However, there are many opportunities that countries can capitalize on to move from a land-extensive to a high-efficiency production model. New technologies, more efficient market supply systems, expanded service deliveries and incentivized policy environments are already taking shape in many countries. And there are a number of existing platforms and networks to help countries make these changes, for example, the commitments to strategic and scientific plans by the African Union, African Development Bank, and the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA); efforts by the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) to expand higher education into West Africa; and of course the partnerships and support provided by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).

The floor then opened for a broad discussion by a panel of thought leaders and key players in Africa’s agricultural development, moderated by IFPRI Director for Africa Ousmane Badiane, also one of the book editors. The panelists— Augustin Wambo from NEPAD’s Planning and Coordinating Agency, Ernest Ruzindaza from the African Union Commission, Yemi Akinbamijo from FARA, and Heike Baumüller from the Center for Development Research at the University of Bonn (ZEF)—spoke about the actions required to unlock the potential of African science and technology.

The panelists cut through generalities and offered concrete suggestions: plan and formulate long-term fiscal budgets; consider the needs of farmers; study and learn from the success of the private sector; show the productivity impact of every research dollar; hold governments accountable with scorecards.

Representing the donor side, ZEF’s Heike urged governments to think more widely than just increasing productivity, reminding the audience that it is only a means to achieving the ultimate result of ending malnutrition.

Despite the challenges, attendees remained optimistic about the possibility of increasing agricultural productivity—and thus nutrition security and incomes—through research.

As FARA’s Akinbamijo summed up, “Improving productivity is not rocket science, but it requires science.”

In a recent event which focused on capacity development for agricultural research, Rob Bertram of USAID stated that, “…without capacity being developed in our partner countries, the likelihood that our investments are going to last over time and perpetuate themselves is going to be reduced or compromised.”

National agricultural research systems (NARS), according to USAID, are the backbone of an agricultural innovation system and include all public, semi-public, and private agricultural R&D in a country, including universities, government laboratories, private sector research, and NGO or producer-led research enterprises.

In the early 90’s agriculture and food dropped off the radars of many governments and donors and as a result, funding for agricultural R&D and human resource development stagnated and became highly volatile – resulting in a roller coaster effect for many countries dependent on donors for funding. Underinvestment can be seen in many of the low-income countries of Africa, as detailed by Nienke Beintema’s presentation at the event. Although overall investment and capacity have increased in Africa south of the Sahara, researchers struggle with low salaries, lack of training, and few resources to support the operating and capital costs of research in most countries.

The Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators (ASTI) initiative led by IFPRI, provides up-to-date quantitative and qualitative data and analyses on investment, capacity, and institutional trends in agricultural research and development (R&D) in low- and middle-income countries that will assist R&D managers and policymakers in improved policy formulation and decision making at national, regional, and international levels.

Coincidentally, the theme for the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) Africa Science Week Conference in Accra is: Africa feeding Africa through Agricultural Science and Innovation. In the blog post “I am young, agriculture is not for me,” author Margaret Bulambu explains the need to attract the next generation to agriculture as a career. Building capacity in the next generation of young Africans, and creating opportunities that take into account the needs and interests of the current round of students will be a necessary investment to keep agricultural R&D and food security sustainable for the future.